A Matter of Race and Character
SURVIVOR CONFESSIONS
Memory is a funny thing, Gabby mused.
She had once read about something called the 'memory enhancement effect', a phenomena where the more emotionally charged an experience was, the more it was likely to be remembered. Yet, in extremely stressful situations, the brain released hormones that affected memory. It meant that retention of certain events was selective; discriminating. Memory defined a person's identity; but it could also be suppressed, inhibiting distressing events and allowing respite from the trauma of past mistakes or actions.
The memory of the last day was a blur.
While Gabby could recall every detail of their flight from the thresher maw with almost perfect clarity (far too much clarity, actually!), what had happened after they'd reached the cave was hazy at best.
After Erata had dressed the wound on her back, Gabby knew she'd passed out; her body's response to her injuries and that gruelling mad dash across the frozen wastes.
When she'd awoken, she'd found Erata stooped over Pella's prone body.
The turian was slipping in and out of consciousness. Erata suspected Pella had a concussion and possible internal bleeding. Medi-gel stabilised her condition, but there was a limited supply, and it was crucial they conserved what little they had left. Pella needed proper medical care.
Unable to keep her eyes open, Gabby slept again, awakening to find the cave noticeably warmer and bathed in a soft orange glow. In addition, she was tucked into a thin but warm arctic-condition bedroll… and her thermal underwear had been removed.
Gabby glanced under the covers in alarm. She was as naked as the day she was born.
She stared at Erata – the asari was sat on a rock on the other side of the cave, wrapped in a silver blanket, and drying out three sets of clothes over a pile of stones heated by what looked like fusion control rods. To Gabby's left, Pella was also tucked into a bedroll.
"What…!? Why'd you take my thermals?" Gabby accused Erata, pulling the sleeping bag protectively across her chest.
Erata turned her gaze on the human. She looked exhausted. "They were soaked in your sweat," the asari explained. "It would have frozen to you. I needed to get you out of them and dry your clothes properly so you didn't suffer from hypothermia."
"You could have waited until I was awake!" Gabby protested.
"No I couldn't," Erata replied sharply. "You've been unconscious for nearly five hours!" Erata leant forward to warm her hands over the rocks, her bare blue arms reaching out from beneath the silver blanket.
She must have undressed, too, Gabby thought.
"You were crying out in your sleep," the asari added.
"I think I have a damn good reason," Gabby replied tersely.
"You want to talk about it, Kitten?" Erata asked.
Gabby scowled, still upset that Erata had taken it upon herself to undress her, and the fact the asari had very nearly kissed her just a few hours earlier.
"Don't call me that," Gabby warned softly.
They lapsed into silence.
When she was sure they were dry, Erata returned Gabby's thermals – what little was left – and Gabby wriggled into them under the bedroll. The long underwear stank to high heaven, but they were warm and dry. Erata, however, had no such inhibitions and casually stripped naked, before slipping into her thermals and donning her Phoenix Armour.
Next, Gabby helped Erata dress Pella in her turian underclothes, and then she examined what was left of her discarded Explorer Armour. The back plate and cuisses were all but destroyed, and the back-mounted field pack had been eaten away by thresher acid.
"The extra layers on your back likely prevented the acid from injuring you further," Erata surmised, and then turned her attention back to the small group of supplies she'd arranged on the floor.
While Gabby was asleep, Erata had conducted a quick account of the remaining provisions from their field packs and what was left included: two arctic-resistant bedrolls, seven tubes of medi-gel, two folding ice axes, a couple of one-man tents with ground sheets, three waterproof containers, two lines of cord, a few emergency exothermic fusion rods for camp fires, four canteens full of water, and three packs of 72-hour combat rations – which they could stretch out to six-days if they stayed on half-rations. All other essential items, such as comms, navigation tools and signal flares, were traditionally managed by omni-tools.
Despite the warmth provided by the heated stones, the temperature in the cave had barely risen above 2°C.
"There are only two sleeping bags," Erata began. "Yours was destroyed. I suggest we lay the ground-sheets beneath Pella, then tie the two bedrolls together and all get underneath the covers. Shared body heat will help keep us alive."
"Figures you'd want us to sleep in a pile like a bunch of hamsters," Gabby muttered.
"Or we can stay on opposite sides of the cave and freeze to death, if you'd prefer?" Erata retorted. She pointed to the far end of the cave, opposite the blocked entrance. "If you need to relieve yourself, that corner of the cave is the latrine. There's a narrow fissure in the floor going down about three metres."
Gabby frowned. "Oh, terrific! So we squat over a hole?"
"Well, what did you expect? A bidet and room service?!" Erata snapped.
The asari turned her back on the human. Despite the growing feelings of anger, Gabby checked herself and looked away in shame; the all-pervading cold and the throbbing pain in her back were making her short-tempered.
She knew that Erata was trying to help, and she did appreciate the asari getting her out of her wet clothes, but she couldn't shake the irrational feeling she'd been violated.
A little while later, they placed the ground sheet under Pella and arranged the bedrolls around her, then they settled themselves down beneath the warm sheets on either side of the turian. Gabby turned on her side, facing away from the alien bodies. She was trying to calm herself but the freezing conditions, the memory of her almost kiss with Erata in the generator room, and the growing feelings of claustrophobia lad left her confused and irascible.
In short, she was cold, she was hurting, and she was taking her frustration out on the one person who was doing her best to keep them alive…
Ice Cave, 53°32' N, 13°30' W, Gellix – 16:20 UTC – 1st March 2183 CE
Gabby paced back and forth, scanning the comm-frequencies with her omni-tool, urgently trying to find a live signal while her stomach grumbled in protest.
Oh God, I'm starving!
She'd gotten little in the way of sleep and had awoken freezing, bewildered and in pain; with the events of yesterday still playing in her head.
Gabby had rolled away from Pella's body and risen from the sleeping bag, gently massaging her wounded back. The ground was uncomfortable, twisting her spine and making her muscles ache. The howl of the raging storm outside was a muffled but ever present noise in the cave.
Erata was already up and going over the rations once more in an effort to keep her mind occupied. She reached across and handed Gabby a small packet of nutrient paste.
"There you go, Kitten." She tried to keep her tone light. "Breakfast of champions."
The human took the packet. "Just call me 'Gabby', okay?" Then, after a long pause, she nodded at the blue alien, mumbling a word of thanks.
"You've gotta keep your strength up," Erata said. "We need to wake Pella and get her to eat something, too."
After consuming their meagre breakfast, and coaxing Pella to swallow a few spoonfuls of nutrient paste, they spent the rest of the day resting to conserve energy, their minds dwelling on their own thoughts.
It wasn't until the afternoon that the crushing boredom finally got to her and Gabby began to pace restlessly around the cave like a caged animal.
Erata, distracted from another stock take of their inventories, looked up at the agitated human – Gabby was using up valuable calories that they didn't have the rations to replenish.
The asari scowled. The human's actions were really starting to irritate her.
"Don't waste your time," Erata advised. "We can't do anything till that storm dies down. There's enough silica flying around out there to scramble communications. And these rocks are ultramafic – veined with magnetite – no way a signals' getting through that."
"Then why the hell did you bury us alive in here?" Gabby snapped.
"Because it was either that or have our asses frozen in the storm. We'll be safe in here. We're alive; we have rations, shelter and relative warmth. And we'll stay that way till help arrives."
"Without an active comm-link they won't know where to look, or even know if we're alive to bother mounting a rescue. By blocking the signal you've effectively buried us in our own tomb! I thought you knew what you were doing?"
"I do know what I'm doing! Ultramafic rocks don't inhibit all signals, just high-band communication frequencies. They'll still be able to scan for life-signs." Assuming they get close enough, Erata added to herself – no need to worry the human with that. "Now sit down, shut up and try to look pretty, Kitten."
"Stop calling me 'Kitten'!"
"Make me!" Erata challenged.
A sound caught their attention. Pella shifted under the bedroll. "If you two don't stop fighting… I'll bang your heads together."
The human and the asari hurried to her side.
"Hey, you're awake. How are you feeling?" Gabby asked.
"Like I got attacked by a thresher maw," Pella chuckled. Her voice was very weak.
"Stupid question. Sorry."
"So thirsty, actually."
Erata grabbed one of Pella's canteens and dribbled a few drops between the turian's lips. Pella coughed but swallowed the water gratefully.
"Now, no more arguing… or I will turn this cave around! Understand?" Pella tried to wag her finger at them. Her eyes closed.
Gabby tenderly stroked Pella's forehead until the turian had drifted off.
"She needs a proper medic" Erata said. "There's not much more I can do except stabilise her with the medi-gel. But it won't last forever."
Gabby was still looking down at Pella, watching her until she was certain she was asleep. "Magnetite scrambles scanning equipment. They won't know we're here unless they get within fifteen metres of us." Gabby glared at Erata. "If you're trying to bullshit someone, don't bullshit an engineer."
Neither of them spoke for the rest of the day.
Time passed strangely in the cave. Gabby's circadian rhythm was out of synch. She awoke in darkness, never knowing if it was afternoon, midnight or morning.
Gabby quickly checked the chronometer on her omni-tool. It had been 48-hours since the thresher maw attack; two-days since they'd lost their turian comrades, leaving them entombed. Of course, Gabby knew people were out looking for them. Commander Joric – assuming she was still alive – was probably leading the search-and-rescue herself. And if any of the turian engineers back at Anapondus had managed to fix the comms, they would undoubtedly have signalled for help. The Alliance, the Hierarchy, and Arcadias, of course, were on their way, she was sure of it. Someone was bound to find them…
They have to find us!
Gabby sat warming herself by the small pile of glowing stones and looked across at the serene face of Erata, the asari sat on a rock opposite, her eyes closed as if she was meditating.
"How are you so calm?" Gabby accused.
"Every species reacts differently to stress," Erata replied, opening her eyes. "We all have our ways of coping. And who says I am calm? How'd you know I'm not freaking out?"
"You look so composed; not worried at all."
"I've just had more practice hiding it than you." Her eyes darted off to Gabby's right. "I'm sure the Hierarchy won't abandon us. Someone's gonna find us."
"Yeah, and in the meantime, we get to play the helpless women waiting for rescue. Oh, Kenneth is just gonna love this!" Suddenly, her voice changed, her accent adopting a Scottish brogue. "What's the matter, Gabby? Did ya get yourself trapped in a wee cave?" She changed back to her American twang. "He's going to milk this for weeks; constantly reminding me about how we needed saving… Like I don't get enough grief from him." Gabby pulled the silver blanket tighter around her shoulders and scowled. "Didn't like this role even as a kid! In all the games I played, I never fancied being the damsel in distress!"
As Gabby was talking, Erata casually reached over and seized one of the ice axes, its head folded into the handle. The asari flipped a catch and the axe head snapped into place like the blade of a flick knife. Gabby's brow puckered in concern.
"Erata? What are you doin…"
In one smooth movement, the asari rose to her feet and swung the axe against the wall next to Gabby's head.
Gabby leapt out of the way, scrambling across to the wall on the other side of the cave, her heart pounding.
"Are you insane?" she screamed.
Erata turned, the axe still in her hand, and a large, red, insect-like something impaled on the spike.
"What the…?" Gabby began as she stared at the wriggling creature.
"Klixen larva," Erata explained. "Introduced by the krogan as a food source. Must have wandered away from its nest and come up through the fissure. They have a nasty bite. Mildly venomous too. They're attracted to warmth; check the sleeping bag before you get in." Erata brought the axe down against the rocks, putting an end to the creature's struggles. "Well, at least we won't starve." Gabby screwed up her face at the thought of eating that. "Yeah, they taste like crap," Erata agreed, "but they make up one of your five-a-day! Oh, and for your information: I'm not sure Torrell, Quentis and Kapagan would agree with you."
"What?" Gabby frowned in confusion.
"The security officers – the ones who died so we could get away. The least you could do is honour their memories. We're alive thanks to them. Don't throw that back in their faces just because you feel helpless!"
Her back to the wall, Gabby slowly slithered to the ground.
Of course, Erata was right. She did feel helpless, and that made her angry. But she also felt remorse. Three officers had sacrificed themselves to save them and she hadn't even known their names; had hardly spoken to them. Her stomach churned; her insides knotted with guilt – not simply because she hadn't known their names, but because she was alive. She'd survived… and they were dead.
In that moment, a decision crystallised in her mind: she resolved she would contact their families. As soon as she got out of there, she would write the letters of condolences.
Gabby shut her eyes tight. "Thank you," she said quietly.
"Don't mention it," Erata replied.
"I wasn't talking to you."
"Well, this isn't… embarrassing at all!"
Pella's voice was strained; her body crouched inelegantly as she was supported on either side by Erata and Gabby.
"Bet you… didn't think you'd be doing this when you signed up for the Programme," Pella rasped to Gabby.
"The subject wasn't touched upon, no," Gabby replied.
"This is nothing new! You'd be surprised how often I've done this for one of my sisters after a night out!" Erata joked.
When she'd finished, Gabby readjusted Pella's undergarments and helped move her away from the fissure. Gabby tightened her grip on Pella's waist. Even through the thick fabric of her thermals, Gabby could tell the turian's body was hot and feverish. Pella shook fitfully as they helped her across the cave to the bedroll.
Gabby settled the agitated turian down between the blankets while Erata grabbed another tube of medi-gel.
"I need… to tell you something…" Pella insisted. "In case… I don't…"
"You can tell us after we're out of here," Gabby said. She squeezed Pella's hand, trying to calm her down.
Pella shook her head. "No… My orders… the Primarch told me to… to keep an eye on the aliens."
"Hush, now. Hush. That's not important right now."
"I was spying on you!" Pella moaned.
Not knowing what to say, Gabby blurted out the first thing that popped into her head: "I know."
"What?"
"Alliance Command briefed me on turian protocol," Gabby lied. "I knew you were likely told to keep an eye on me. That didn't mean I didn't enjoy your company, Pella. I've got nothing to hide and neither have you." Erata leant over and injected Pella with another tube of medi-gel. "It's the game our governments play," Gabby continued, stroking Pella's head. "You were following an order, that's all. Don't worry about it."
The turian's expression softened. Pella smiled and her eyes closed. Gabby stayed by her side, holding her hand until the turian had drifted off into a needful sleep.
Erata hovered beside them, frowning in concern at the empty tube of medi-gel she held. Their supply was getting low.
"Was that true?" Erata asked Gabby. "Did you really know she was spying on us?"
"What do you think?"
"I think you lied to her." Erata nodded approvingly. "And I would've done the same thing…"
The next morning brought no respite from the storm.
Erata watched the human as she sat shivering by the heated stones, a silver blanket wrapped around her shoulders. It was the third day of seeing the human stubbornly endure the chilled conditions, rejecting all offers of help or relief from the cold, and the asari had decided she needed to help the human somehow. There was one tactic she hadn't tried yet…
"You know… there are other ways of distracting from the cold…"
Gabby sat up and stared at Erata, suddenly very concerned. She'd heard stories about the asari.
What is she proposing?
"Oh, now don't get any ideas!" Erata must have read her expression.
"I wasn't about to," Gabby replied. "I just thought you were suggesting something."
"Worried about the hot asari coming on to you?"
Gabby scowled. "Don't flatter yourself."
"That would not be a good idea. Asari and humans sweat. I know I sweat like a volus with a suit rupture when I'm horny!"
"Too much information," Gabby muttered.
"You sweat in this environment and you're dead," Erata continued. "It freezes to your skin, lowers your core temperature. Very soon you're a walking Popsicle. Trust me, If you and I ever embraced eternity together…" – Asari have such weird euphemisms, Gabby decided – "this cave would be the worst possible place for it."
"Does everything have to be about sex with you?"
"I prefer to stick to what I'm good at."
"There'll be no 'embracing eternity' thank you very much," Gabby stated firmly.
"Oh, relax, Ki… Gabby, I'm not about to jump your bones."
"Oh?" Gabby was surprised to feel a twinge of disappointment. Hell of a time to get a bruised ego! she chided herself.
The human shivered. "You had no qualms about trying to kiss me in the generator room. So, what am I now, chopped liver? What's wrong with me?" she demanded.
"Nothing at all," Erata assured her. "I'm just not certain it's entirely… safe."
"Well, what if we weren't stuck in this freezing pit?" Gabby asked.
"Even then…"
"You think you're that good you'd do me some mischief."
"Oh, I have ample evidence to prove I am that good!"
Gabby shot her a scathing look. "Well, someone has a high opinion of themselves!"
Erata grinned. "I can provide testimonials, if you'd like?"
"I'll take your word for it."
"I was talking about stories, as a matter of fact," Erata explained. "We tell each other something personal to help pass the time. I promise you that whatever's said won't leave this cave."
Gabby didn't look convinced.
"Let me start…" Erata offered. "It might surprise you to know that in the republic I'm considered something of a prodigy. You see before you the youngest alumnus from the Association of Structural Engineers and one of the most talented apprentices to join the Order of Serrice. I'm in great demand across Republic space. Mostly because of my virtuoso rep…"
"So how come you're stuck here in nature's frozen ass?"
"There was a slight issue when I crashed Matriarch Lidanya's skycar into her Illium apartment!"
"That doesn't sound very talented."
"Au contraire. I was out test driving it when the mass effect core failed. I kept her skycar airborne long enough to avoid a heavily populated area and made an emergency landing in Lidanya's bedroom. My actions saved the lives of dozens of residents. Do I ask for recognition? I do not."
"How come it was faulty?"
"I may have installed the wrong component," Erata confessed.
"So, you averted a disaster that you caused?"
"Technically, yes, but I cleaned up after myself. I was taught from a young age that if you break something then you're duty bound to fix it! Of course, the Matriarch didn't quite see it the same way…"
"Yeah, I'm guessing it didn't sit well with her?"
"There was a gaping hole in her apartment and pictures of her bedroom were posted all over extranet news sites. She was less than pleased!"
"Well, no-one wants to find their private life exposed like that," Gabby agreed.
"Particularly the manacles and whips I discovered hidden in her closet. Matriarch Lidanya has some interesting tastes!"
Gabby covered her mouth, stifling a laugh. "Did it cost much to repair?"
"Yeah, but the Order offered Lidanya a discount," Erata replied.
"Maybe that should be your new slogan? D'Ceni engineering: I can wreck-it for you wholesale!"
Erata snickered heartily. "You're pretty sharp for a youngster, Kitten…" She held up her hands in contrition. "Sorry, force of habit."
Gabby smiled ruefully. "It's OK… I've been kinda missing you calling me Kitten, actually," she confessed. Erata grinned; the smile lighting up her face and making her look like a cheeky teenager. Gabby regarded the blue alien thoughtfully. She knew asari could live long lives. "If you don't mind me asking, just how old are you?"
"Hundred-and-six," Erata replied.
"Wow! That's incredible."
"And I don't look a day over sixty. Want to know how I maintain my wunderkind reputation and command such knowledge and respect beyond my tender years?"
Gabby thought about it for a moment. "You lie about your age?"
"Damn straight! I've been hundred-and-six for the past century."
Gabby laughed. Despite the cold, she could feel herself relaxing in the asari's company. "Somehow, I think you'll have more stories than I do…"
Four days in and Gabby had almost settled into a routine.
When she awoke, she rose from the bedroll; checked on Pella's condition (still unchanged); ate a little nutrient paste; helped Pella to the bathroom; made sure the turian was comfortable; rested; scanned for signals with her omni-tool; and then listened to Erata regale her with another tale of her adventures while she pictured herself wallowing in the luxuriant heat of a sweltering bath.
Gabby still hated being in a situation she couldn't control. They were now entirely reliant on whether Commander Joric's team would reach them in time, and, privately, Gabby couldn't deny the growing feelings of dread.
At the moment, Gabby lay in the bedroll, nestled beside Pella's sleeping form as she hugged the turian's body in an effort to keep her warm. She gently stroked Pella's head as it rested on Gabby's shoulder. The turian's condition worried Gabby. She was rarely conscious, and their supply of medi-gel was dwindling.
Gabby turned to Erata, the asari warming herself by the hot stones.
"I didn't thank you," Gabby began, "for everything you've done. Just so, you know, in case we don't…" Her voice petered out.
"Don't get fatalistic on me, Kitten," Erata scolded. "We're going to make it. You've got to stay positive."
"We've got food for two more days. Water, if we ration it, for maybe three… then we're reduced to melting the ice in the cave. But it's levo-amino. That won't help Pella. I'm under no illusions about our chances. It's just… thanks anyway. You've kept us alive. And I know things haven't been easy between us. Not since… what happened in the generator room…"
Erata did have the good grace to look embarrassed. "Yeah… I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I just needed… Oh, I don't know what I needed." Erata hung her head.
"Would it help to talk about it? It might take our minds off this."
Erata slowly shook her head. "It's personal," she confessed. "It's just… for a moment I thought I had… the same thing as my sister."
Gabby frowned. "I don't understand. You mean Thalia? What about her?"
"No, my younger sister, Mel. She… she has a condition."
"Your sister's ill?" Gabby asked.
"Not exactly. She can't have kids with anyone. And she has to live in isolation."
"Is it infectious?"
Erata shook her head again. "No, she's…" Erata paused, struggling to find the words. "She's… in an institution. I suppose you could call it a monastery." Gabby tried to keep her expression neutral and simply nodded in understanding. "But she's very comfortable," Erata continued. "She's well cared for and she seems to be happy enough. My sisters visit regularly. I go when I can; bring her all the gossip and news from Thessia. We always take gifts. Even smuggle in a few vids that aren't on the approved list. And she sometimes goes on supervised trips…" The asari slipped briefly into silence, staring absently down at her hands. "They're very good to her…"
Gabby didn't press for further details about the Monastery. For Erata to divulge this much personal information about her sister was, to her, a sign of trust. She felt honoured that the asari had chosen to tell her as much as she had.
"You say your other sisters visit her? You've more than two?"
Erata looked up and nodded. "Thalia travels out from Armali's entertainment district about twice a year. But Clia makes more regular trips – she's forever excavating some new archaeological site in the area. Euterpa visits Mel when she's not on tour – she's a singer. You might know her by her stage name, 'Maya'."
"Oh!" Gabby started in surprise. "Yeah. I downloaded her latest album. She's your sister?"
"Yeah." Erata nodded again. "Polyhymnia is often at the monastery; she works at the Temple of Athame in Serrice and teaches regular classes in theology – knows all the sutras off by heart. Urania visits when she's not out studying different stellar phenomena for the Republic Science Directorate."
"Sounds like a family of highfliers," Gabby commented.
"Well, not quite," Erata admitted. "I'm just an itinerant engineer. And Terpsichora is a dancer at the Afterlife Club on Omega. She mostly chats with Mel via the link… Of all my sisters, Calliopa is the only one who claims she's too busy to visit the Monastery."
"And what does she do?"
Erata's expression darkened. "Calliopa is the eldest. She works for the Matriarchs. Sort of inherited the family business. And controls a network of… operatives."
"What kind of family business?"
"Oh, it's sort of like an information brokers," Erata said airily, waving her hand. "Trading in the buying and selling of… sensitive information. Except the Matriarchs are the only clients… We were all expected to contribute to the business at some point. I tried my hand at it for a while but didn't enjoy it very much. I was never really interested in that kind of work." Erata shook her head. "But Calliopa seems to think that just because she's the eldest she gets to have the final word on what the rest of us do. She's forever sticking her nose into other people's business!"
"How many sisters do you have?" Gabby asked quietly, attempting to steer the conversation to a less sensitive subject.
"Eight." Erata pouted, rolling her eyes. "Each one an expert in their chosen field. Goddess, even Melpomena is a celebrated writer!"
"Nine children?" Gabby exclaimed. "Same father?" Erata nodded. "And all by the same mother?"
Erata nodded again. "Our dad couldn't have kids of her own," she explained.
"How'd your mom feel about that?"
"About as well as you'd expect under the circumstances. Having said that, I was young when Thalia was born but I vividly remember my mom screaming at my dad in the birthing chamber."
"What was she saying?"
"It was something like, 'Look what you're done to me! This is all your fault! If you ever come near me again, I'll drop you with a singularity!' Of course, the language was a tad fruitier at the time."
Gabby grinned knowingly. "Yeah, that sounds familiar."
"What's the wildest thing you've ever done?"
Gabby paused in mid-chew, the ration packet hovering by her lips. She narrowed her eyes and scrutinized the asari with suspicion. She put down the empty pack by her feet, shuffled so she could get comfy on the rock she was using as a seat close to the hot stones, and pulled her blanket tighter around her shoulders. After five days staring at the cave's cold walls she was happy for any distraction.
"Okay, I'll bite," she agreed. "But you first. What's the wildest thing you've done?"
"Oh, too many to mention, Kitten. But, let me see if I can recall something a little more your speed…" The asari closed her eyes for a moment. "When I was stationed in London, I had the privilege of meeting a very nice Alliance representative from the Jon Grissom Academy orbiting Elysium colony…"
"This is going to be about sex, isn't it?" Gabby interrupted.
Erata gave Gabby a withering look. "You know, contrary to popular belief, sex isn't always on the table for maidens."
"Alright. My mistake. She was a soldier?"
"No, a civilian – a member of the Ascension Project board of directors, in fact. We met at a 'wetting down' party thrown for an Alliance crewman who was being promoted. She was on vacation and keen to see the capital. We got chatting and I agreed to show her around the city. From what I understand, a friend of hers was born was in London…
"Anyway, after about a week of showing her the sights, we visit the British Museum. We wander around and find an exhibition of early asari artefacts. You'll never guess what they had on display… an original manuscript of Matriarch Dilinaga's writings! Just sitting there, bold as you like."
Gabby shrugged in confusion. "So?"
"An artefact like that belongs on Thessia," Erata explained. "I checked, and the manuscript wasn't on loan, it was a new find made by an Alliance archaeological team. Of course, I could have made a formal complaint to the museum, or contacted the Asari Embassy about it. But, I didn't. I was impulsive. I talked to my friend and we hatched a plot. We stayed there until the museum was about to close, then when we were sure there weren't any witnesses, she hacked security in the room – luckily, she was formerly a top computer systems specialist in the Alliance – and when security was down, I swiped the manuscript!"
"You stole it?"
"Yep," Erata said proudly. "Hid it under my coat and walked it right through the front door. Afterwards, we took a black skycab to my apartment in Hammersmith and arranged to get it shipped back to Thessia on the very next transport…" Erata paused as a coy smile spread across her face. "Then we had sex!" Gabby groaned and buried her head in her hands. "Ooh, the things that human could do with her mouth."
"I don't need to know everything!" Gabby insisted.
"Every few minutes she'd roll me over and off we'd go again…"
Gabby looked up. "I thought you said sex wasn't on the table?"
"It wasn't. We were in bed!" Erata flashed a mischievous grin. "And she was blond, Kitten. How was I gonna pass that up?"
"Oh, you are such a guy!" Gabby said in exasperation.
Erata regarded Gabby for a long moment. "Your turn."
"Oh… Yeah, I'm not sure…"
"Don't back out on me now. There must have been something vaguely exciting you've done in your time?"
Gabby nodded to herself. One thing did spring to mind… Just the memory of it made her blush. Gabby smiled, only now grasping how long she'd been keeping it bottled up. She realised that she needed to tell someone about this. Maybe an asari would understand?
"It's more what almost happened…" she began.
"Almost? Well, that's not good enough."
"It was embarrassing… There was blood on the floor, property damage, nudity, local security was involved, I nearly got arrested, and a couple of people threatened a civil case against me. It was a right mess!"
Erata was impressed. She didn't think the human would be involved in something so interesting. "Donnelly's blood, was it?"
"No, Kenneth wasn't involved," Gabby confessed. "Actually, he doesn't even know about it."
Erata suddenly recalled the conversation she'd had with Gabby just two weeks prior. "Hang on; this story wouldn't include a naked turian, by any chance?" Gabby gave a hesitant nod. Erata preened with delight. "Ooooh, well, someone has a juicy story! Come on, Kitten, what you do?"
"If I tell you… this stays between us, right?"
"You already know about my little indiscretion. I swear: Not one word."
"Alright… Okay… Well, um… have you ever heard of a place called Pandemonium?" Erata shook her head. "It's the name of a club… and a hotel. Well, it's a whole complex, really. Me and Kenneth were billeted there while furloughed on Cyone."
That peaked Erata's interest. "An asari colony… Sounds like a certain human was trying to get up close and personal with the locals…"
"It wasn't like that! We were on the planet and I was interested in asari culture."
Erata nodded sagely. "Of course, there's nothing more cultural than performing the horizontal tango!"
"Not everyone's interested in that aspect of asari, Erata."
"You wanted to trip the light-blue fantastic!"
"Okay, stop it now…"
"Cheer up a blue asari!"
"I'm not listening…"
"Indulge in a little blueshifting!"
"Erata! Is this gonna take long? How many more have you got?"
"Hey, with over two centuries of life-experience, I could go all night."
"Yeah, so I've heard!" Gabby was feeling spiteful.
"Ouch! Kitten has claws."
"Look, do you want to hear this story or not?"
"I'm sorry." Erata said, suddenly looking earnest. "You were talking about Pandemonium…"
Author's Note: All remaining chapters have been completed. Please check back for daily updates.